Halloween Candy Nutrition Check

October 27, 2012 8:33:33 AM PDT

October 27, 2012 (CHICAGO) --

Halloween is a high season for candy, and parents might be wondering how much candy is okay for your little ones to devour?

Melissa Joy Dobbins, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, and her 12-year-old daughter Sarah came into our ABC7 studio to share tips for managing your sweets and how you can keep your kids from overeating their candy bounty.

Melissa's Tips:

1. Treat yourself, but don't let the small sizes trick you. Don't hide the evidence! According to Brian Wansink, Cornell University professor and author of Mindless Eating, study participants ate about half as much candy when they kept the wrappers in sight.

2. Is moderation in the eye of the 'candyholder'? When it comes to candy, some groups define moderation as 50-100 calories a day (see list below for calories).

1. Have kids sort their candy into 3 piles: really like, sort of like and don't like.

2. Put the "really like" candy into 100-calorie snack baggies to help control portions.

For leftover "sort of like" and "don't like" candy consider: - Placing in the freezer or cupboard for "out of sight, out of mind" strategy - Giving your kids the option of an "upgrade" - after they've had some time to enjoy their loot, let them trade in their candy for money or a toy, or keep the candy if they prefer.

4. Donate the extra candy - but NOT to food banks! They need nutrient-rich foods! (Here's a link to the Greater Chicago Food Depository's list of most needed items: http://bit.ly/RLwrwr.

Instead, consider the Halloween Candy Buy Back program (www.halloweencandybuyback.com/) in which many local dentists are participating. They buy back candy from kids and send it to the troops overseas.